I just purchased a new John Deere LT160 with a 16hp Kohler single. I'm going to use JD 10w30 for the first change at 5 hours. I debating to try GC 0w30 or stay with the JD 10w30. Any advice?
GC 0w30 is 12.1 cSt @100c and is thicker at operating temps than most standard conventional 10w30's.
Nicrfe1370 is currently running GC in his Cub Cadet with a 16hp Kohler. See his thread at the used oil analysis section: Cub Cadet used oil analysis
As far as the JD 10w30, I'd be more inclined to run a known Grp II conventional oil, such as Chevron, to handle the heat load from an air cooled engine. The Chevron 10w30 High mileage oil would also be a good candidate as this oil is 12 cSt at 100c.
Thanks for the link, that is the exact engine I have. If I could find Long Life, Delvac 1300 or Delo 400 in 10w30, I would use it. A local distributor has Rotella 10w30, but I have to buy 4 gallons. That would be a 5 year supply!
If there is some reason you don't want to use a syn-lube, why don't you give one of the oils you mentioned in 15w40 a shot?
If fully understand that it's not the suggested/recommended viscosity, but I've converted my family's entire lawn care "fleet" and a few friends equipment over to Pennzoil Long-Life 15w40 (all of which call for thirty weight except for a few diesel tractors) and have been very impresssed.
In regards to your application, this "fleet" includes a JD 150 and a JD 160.
With that said though, I just made the switch to Long-Life as it was something that would work in everything and standardize the "oil shelf".
I'm 100% sure GC would work great in this application!
I am running GC 0W30 in my Cub Cadet with 15 HP Kohler. It has been in there for about 15 hrs, so far. Switched from Pennzoil HD 30W. Piston, rod and crank are behaving themselves and staying inside the engine block.
I just switched my LT150 JD lawn tractor with a 15 hp Kohler engine over to GC today. I used an AC Delco PF53 filter that is about 1" longer than the John Deere filter, and 1/3 the cost.
I ran the mower for maybe 1/2 hour to get the engine warmed up, then changed the oil and filter and went back to mowing right where I'd left off. I immediately noticed I can push the mower much harder in the tall grass and not have it stall with the GC in there verses the old straight 30 weight.